advertising can be described as any form of communication that is intended to persuade its viewers,

listeners or readers into taking some action. It uses different types of media, such as newspapers, radio,
magazines, television, billboards and direct mail, to deliver messages. Out-of-home advertising and
billboards are the oldest forms of advertising and are believed to date back to 4000 BC. The rise of mass
production in the late 19th and early 20th centuries gave way to the development of modern
advertising.

Interesting & Amazing Information On Origin & Background Of Advertising

Anciently, Egyptians made sales messages and wall posters using papyrus (these displays and messages
can well be seen in the ruins of Pompeii and ancient Arabia also). Wall or rock painting was another
common commercial advertising form, which is still present in parts of Asia, Africa and South America.
Gradually, as towns and cities began to expand, traders started using images to associate their trade,
such as a boot, a suit, a hat, a clock, a diamond, a horseshoe, a candle or even a bag of flour.

With time, education became an apparent need and advertising developed to printing handbills. By the
17th century, advertisements started appearing in weekly newspapers in England that were mainly used
for promoting books. Consequently, printing press advanced and newspapers became increasingly
affordable. However, false advertising and quack advertisements created problems in the regulation of
advertising content.

Advertising grew with the expansion of economy in the 19th century. Mail-order advertising grew with
the success of advertising in the United States. In 1836, French newspaper La Presse became the first
newspaper to include paid advertising in its edition. It also reduced its prices to extend readability and
increase profitability. Around 1840, advertising agencies were established and services extended.
Initially, they were brokers for advertisement space in newspapers. In 1869, the first full-service agency
named N.W. Ayer & Son was opened, assuming responsibility for advertising content in Philadelphia.

In early 1920s, radio equipment manufacturers and retailers established radio stations to sell more
radios to consumers. Soon, the practice of sponsoring radio programs popularized and they started
allocating sponsorship rights to multiple businesses instead of single businesses. The same practice was
later carried on to the television in late 1940s and early 1950s. Advertising transformed into a modern
approach in 1960s, with creatively produced advertisements tempting consumer’s eyes. This could well
be seen in the Volkswagen ad campaign that featured headlines like “Think Small” and “Lemon”.

The era of modern advertising saw promotion of “position” and “unique selling proposition” that was
designed to associate every brand with a specific idea in the reader or viewer’s mind. Cable television
was introduced in late 1980s and early 1990s, giving further boost to advertising. Steadily, specialty
channels emerged that were devoted entirely towards advertising such as QVC, Home Shopping
Network and ShopTV Canada. With the boom of Internet in the 1990s, new frontiers opened for
advertisers. A number of corporations came up, operating solely on advertising revenue.
The entry of 21st century saw various sites, including the much-used search engine Google, indulging in
online advertising, with the intention of helping the users. The recent advertising innovation is “guerrilla
advertising” that makes use of unusual approaches, such as staged encounters in public places,
giveaway of products such as cars covered with brand messages, and interactive advertising where
viewers can respond to become part of the advertising messages. Advertising has come a long way from
its inception and there is much progress to be covered in the time to come.

Most Expensive Television Commercial - Aviva

Norwich Union, one of Britain’s most trusted insurance brands, is changing its name and they’re
celebrating with Bruce Willis, Elle Macpherson and the world’s most expensive commercial.

The expensive advertisement shows celebrities Bruce Willis, Elle Macpherson, Alice Cooper and Ringo
Starr alongside their younger selves at the height of their fame. What do these celebs have in common?
They all became famous after a change of name. Walter Willis, Eleanor Gow (Macpherson), Vincent
Furnier (Cooper) and Richard Starkey (Starr) may never have become stars had they kept their given
names, if the commercial is to be believed.

Norwich Union, on the other hand, was already the UK’s biggest life insurer, a widely used automotive
insurer and one of the oldest names in British insurance and finance. Is a name change really going to
propel them to new heights of superstardom? Not likely.

Then again, who wants to keep a name that makes them sound as crusty and old as they actually are?

Regardless of whether you think changing their name to Aviva was a good move for the company, the
fact remains that, at $13.4 million, they’ve produced the most expensive commercial in the world.